Bedrooms and Showers? What's Your Fantasy Plane?
By: Darren Booth
If you could design an ideal airliner, what features would it include?
A new survey of 1,000 travelers asked just that question and reveals the top 10 amenities for an ultimate aircraft. Skyscanner.com, a U.K.-based travel search website, polled its users asking what they would most like to see on their dream flight. And some of the results are currently available today, though reserved for those flying in business or first class.
Topping out the list with 20 percent of the votes was capsule style bedrooms. Perhaps taking a cue from Japanese capsule hotels, sleeping berths might seem a little claustrophobic, though privacy would certainly be at a maximum.
The full list of "fantasy plane" features is as follows:
- Capsule-style bunks — 20 percent
- Sound proof sections for children — 18 percent
- Anti-kick seats — 8 percent
- Massaging chairs — 8 percent
- Free use of iPads — 5 percent
- Transparent floors and ceilings — 5 percent
- Singles section — 4 percent
- Showers — 4 percent
- Cinema — 3 percent
- Cocktail bar — 2 percent
- Other — 23 percent
Realistically, we'll probably never see some of these. As Skyscanner's Mary Porter says on the company's website, "Sadly as appealing as many of these features sound, we are not aware of any airline’s plans to include them at the moment — although for those fliers lucky enough to fly upper class some dream features such as beds, showers and cocktail bars are indeed a part of their luxury flying experience. For the rest of us it will continue to be just a dream.”
My personal favorite? Transparent floors and ceilings. I would absolutely love to see all around me outside as I flew, but I doubt some of you agree with me. Such a vantage might cause many to be reaching for the good 'ol barf bags.
What features would be on your dream flight?
